By admin 
These days, Sophie Cunningham might be the most talked-about player in the WNBA. That’s saying a lot considering she’s teammates with quite possibly the most polarizing player in the league, in Caitlin Clark.
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After going viral for her pointing meme, Cunningham’s popularity skyrocketed. But soon, she became a decisive figure as her comments on who should and shouldn’t be allowed to compete in women’s sports sparked controversy.
Still, Cunningham’s popularity has brought her countless opportunities to cash in on her brand. But that hasn’t always been the case for the eight-year WNBA veteran.
No signing bonus
The difference between the salaries in the NBA and the WNBA is night and day. The same goes for rookies.
This became painfully apparent to Cunningham when she was asked whether she had gotten anything when she signed her first contract in the league.
“I’m real close friends with the Brauns, so Christian Braun, he’s on the Denver Nuggets, he went to KU,” she
“I grew up with his family, but he was a pretty high draftee, and it was funny because all these people are like, ‘Oh, what was your signing bonus?’ and I was like, ‘Signing bonus? I got a hat that said WNBA Draft and a freaking t-shirt, I didn’t get sh-t!'”
Related: Sophie Cunningham reveals her parents had to carry her birth certificate to games against boys
Cunningham’s first WNBA purchase
For context, Christian Braun was the Denver Nuggets’ first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. His rookie deal was $13,769,157. Last October, he re-signed with the team on a $125-million rookie contract extension.
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Cunningham, meanwhile, was a second-round pick back in the 2019 WNBA Draft. Prior to this season, she signed a one-year, $665,000 contract to stay with the Indiana Fever.
And while most sports professionals have a story about their first big purchase upon getting their first paycheck, Cunningham maintained that she simply wasn’t getting as big a bag, so to speak.
“The first thing I bought, I don’t know, McDonalds? Giving it back to my roots ’cause that’s what I could afford,” she said with a laugh. “Nothing, I didn’t buy anything. A big ol’ Big Mac? Maybe I got a little bit of extra sauce on the side, who knows?”
Cunningham’s rookie salary was $189,522 over four years. She was earning so little that she even wondered whether to go back to school instead of continuing her basketball journey.
With her current standing in the league, however, there’s no doubt that Cunningham’s eating better than Big Macs these days.
Related: “These kids have, like, ADHD” – Sophie Cunningham admits she hangs out with Fever staff more than her young teammates
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 7:17 AM.